Furthering our UK-Arctic Coronavirus Observatory, we are now compiling all of the relevant, up-to-date COVID-19 information pertaining to Finland’s up-to-date measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic
On 9 September, the Finnish government issued a resolution on an update of the action plan implementing a hybrid strategy to manage the COVID-19 epidemic and reopen the economy. These consist of regional measures to target the worst-impacted regions of the country. Some restrictions still remain in place:
Hygiene: The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is to wear a mask and maintain a 2m distance. If you develop symptoms, you must isolate immediately for 10 days. Mask use is still encouraged, especially in crowded and less-ventilated environments.
International Travel:
When arriving into Finland through an internal or external border, border control will ask for one of the following:
Certification proving full-vaccination (defined currently as having had 2 doses, but subject to change).
Proof of recovery from COVID-19 in the last 6 months and evidence of having had one vaccine dose.
Proof of recovery from COVID-19 in the last 6 months and evidence of testing negative for COVID-19 in the 48 hours prior to entering the country.
Please note that these restrictions only apply for international arrivals born after 2006, and not for Finnish citizens, Finnish residents, or those travelling for essential reasons. For more information, including testing procedures for those unable to provide the necessary requirements above, click here.
Regional restrictions: Click here to view regional restrictions on the hospitality sector.
Covid-19 Pass: On 15 October 2021 Finland approved the immediate implementation of EU Digital COVID Certificate. The purpose of the pass is to serve as an alternative to restrictions, and will be implemented in the following areas: restaurants, nightclubs and public events, gyms and other indoor facilities for sports or physical activity, swimming centres and spas, dance halls, spaces used for group leisure activities, amusement and theme parks, indoor facilities for zoos, indoor playgrounds and play centres, and museums, exhibition spaces and other similar cultural venues. To read the full article on the Finnish government website, click here.
Economic measures: Finland employed a supplementary €398M budget in March 2020 after invoking the Emergency Powers Act to deal with the pandemic:
Social Affairs and Health:
€12.8M to increase public education and laboratory preparation
€6M research consortium to study the virus
€4M to monitor the extent to which COVID-19 measures are effective.
€5M to participate in COVID-19 vaccine research
€26M for testing equipment and hospital equipment
Companies:
€150M to support industries most impacted by COVID-19 (tourism, supply chain disruptions and creative industries)
€0.5M to improve financial assistance services.
Others:
€5.6M additional support for the police forces.
€3M to fund temporary border control due to EU border closures
€200M unspecified expenditure due to exceptional circumstances.
The full statement can be read here. For an up-to-date account of Finland’s fiscal, monetary and macro-financial policy updates throughout the course of the pandemic, see the IMF website.
For further information, click here, here and here.
Haroon Faqir is a Global Leadership Fellow at Polar Research and Policy Initiative. He is part of the PRPI team behind the UK-Arctic Coronavirus Observatory, and serves as the lead for Finland and United States.
